P.A.A.R.I. Leaders Travel to Washington D.C. for White House Event on the Nationwide Opioid Crisis

GLOUCESTER — John Rosenthal, Co-founder and Chairman of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) is pleased to announce that P.A.A.R.I. leaders will attend a White House event Thursday afternoon on the nationwide opioid crisis. Chief Frederick Ryan (Arlington, Massachusetts Police Department), Chief Matthew Vanyo (Olmsted Township, Ohio Police Department) and Allie Hunter McDade, P.A.A.R.I. Executive Director will join the President and First Lady, cabinet members, members of congress, heads of government agencies, and leaders from around the county to represent for what may be a historic moment in the administration’s response to the nationwide opioid epidemic.

“The opioid epidemic is the most urgent public health and public safety issue we face today, as a country and as law enforcement, killing more than 175 Americans every single day,” Hunter McDade said. “Together, we have put 10,000 4mg doses of life-saving nasal naloxone into the hands of first responders and helped over 12,000 people into treatment. These programs make our communities safer, prevent overdose deaths, build community trust of their police, and save law enforcement and taxpayer funds.”

In August P.A.A.R.I.’s law enforcement members urged the federal government to declare a Public Health Emergency. Declaring a public health emergency is not only a symbolic recognition of the severity and urgency of this crisis, but also will mobilize the highest levels of the government to take immediate and effective action to deploy the resources required to save lives.

“We are hopeful that a declaration of a public health emergency also includes plans for the federal government to stock and deploy massive quantities of 4mg nasal naloxone and make effective treatments for opioid addiction, such as medication-assisted treatment, more available and affordable,” Hunter McDade said.

Recognizing that traditional criminal justice approaches to addiction have not been effective and that the nation cannot arrest its way out of the opioid epidemic, P.A.A.R.I. is leading a nationwide movement led by law enforcement that recognizes addiction is a chronic disease that needs long-term treatment, not arrest and jail. So far, 321 police departments from across the county have joined P.A.A.R.I. and created pre-arrest programs that create immediate and stigma-free entry points to treatment and recovery programs.

Chief Ryan, Chief Vanyo, and Hunter McDade are steadfast in their dedication to supporting people with substance use disorders and amplifying the unified voice of law enforcement in a nonpartisan effort to save lives in light of the mounting opioid epidemic.

P.A.A.R.I.’s law enforcement partners are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, doing everything they can to grapple with this mounting crisis. The organization is honored that P.A.A.R.I. representatives were invited to have a seat at the table to share our experiences and educate the administration and lawmakers about the success of P.A.A.R.I.’s approach to saving lives.

“We look forward to attending this afternoon’s event and learning more about how the President will honor his pledge to fight this epidemic and give people struggling with addiction access to the help they need,” Hunter McDade said

About P.A.A.R.I.:

The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to help law enforcement agencies establish pre-arrest programs that create immediate and stigma-free entry points to treatment and recovery programs. P.A.A.R.I. works across sectors to provide training, coaching, and support; program models, policies and procedures, and templates; seed grants; connections to over 300 vetted treatment centers; a network of like-minded law enforcement agencies; a unified voice with media and legislators; and capacity building through AmeriCorps. P.A.A.R.I. is free to join and open to any law enforcement agency that believes in treatment over arrest and views addiction as a disease not a crime. Since June 2015, P.A.A.R.I. has launched more than 320 law enforcement programs in 31 states, distributed 10,000 4mg doses of life-saving nasal naloxone, and helped over 12,000 people into treatment.

City of Revere Invites Residents to Participate in Police Services Survey

REVERE — Mayor Brian Arrigo is pleased to announce that the City of Revere has retained the services of two highly-respected, veteran major city police chiefs to conduct an organizational analysis of the Revere Police Department, and asks that residents offer their opinions on the work of the department.

The analysis, which is being conducted by Chiefs Frederick Ryan and Brian Kyes of Ryan Strategies Group LLC, relies on the input of residents, which they can provide by completing this brief online survey.

“We are confident that this in-depth look at the complex and ever-changing work that our police officers do will shed light on the positive impact they already have on our community on a daily basis,” Mayor Arrigo said. “We’re also aware that the department is not perfect, and Chiefs Ryan and Kyes will use their expertise to help guide our police toward being even more effective and engaged with our community.”

Once the process is completed, the City of Revere will use the results to direct investment into a high-performing, modern and community-focused police force that works hand-in-hand with members of the community.

“A community-based approach is the strongest and most-effective tool that police departments can use to reduce crime and improve safety,” Chief Ryan said. “I am looking forward to partnering with the Revere Police and looking at the successes they’re already having as well as the areas where they can improve.”

“Our top priority is doing the best job we can on behalf of the residents we serve,” Revere Police Chief James Guido said. “Forging a strong bond with our community is a critical piece of that, and hearing the input of residents will ultimately help us better understand what we need to do as a department to meet that goal.”

Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan Honored During Fox 25 Zip Trip

Police Department Addiction Outreach Initiative Highlighted by Local News Team and Community Partners

ARLINGTON — During its first Zip Trip of the 2016 season, Fox 25 News honored Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan as the “Hometown Hero” for his 16 years of leadership as chief of the Arlington Police Department and, more recently, his overseeing of the department’s nationally-cited Arlington Outreach Initiative.

The program, launched last summer, seeks to reduce the stigma and shame associated with addiction by pairing police with healthcare workers to reach out to those suffering from a substance use disorder and offering them treatment and options for recapturing their lives.

In accepting the award, Chief Ryan sought to draw the spotlight away from himself and onto the work being done every day by members of the Police Department.

“This award is a reflection of the great work being done every day by the men and women of the Arlington Police Department, from dispatchers all the way up to the command staff,” Chief Ryan said, “We simply listened to our community. Addiction is not a crime, and people suffering from this disease need treatment and compassion as part of a long-term recovery process.”

The award was presented during an interview between Chief Ryan and Fox 25’s Gene Lavanchy and was co-sponsored by Digital Federal Credit Union.

Fox 25’s morning news crew spent the entire morning in Arlington on Friday, profiling local businesses, restaurants, and youth programs that make the community special. The 10-week segment takes the crew all around eastern Massachusetts, culminating Aug. 26 when they return to the area to visit Burlington.

*MEDIA ADVISORY*

Massachusetts Police Chiefs, Elected Officials and Addiction Recovery Partners to Hold a Press Conference at State House to Express Support for Good Samaritan Bill Amendment

Hearing Scheduled Monday Before Joint Judiciary Committee

BOSTON — Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester) will be joined by law enforcement leaders from across the state who have committed to tackling drug addiction from the demand side in addition to the supply side. These law enforcement leaders have created new and innovative policing programs aimed at facilitating treatment and making more recovery options available for anyone who needs them.

Rep. Ferrante has filed an amendment to the 2011 Good Samaritan Law (M.G.L. 94C §34A). The amendment will be discussed by the Joint State House and Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 7. Rep. Ferrante will gather earlier in the day with law enforcement and addiction recovery leaders from around Massachusetts.

In addition to encouraging people suffering from addiction to seek help and police departments to take direct action to help people seeking treatment, the amendment would also go a long way toward removing the stigma and shame of addiction by encouraging treatment without the threat of prosecution.

Rep. Ferrante, who represents Gloucester, has seen, first hand, the tremendous promise of the Gloucester Police Department ANGEL Initiative. Since the start of the ANGEL Initiative last year, 400 people have been placed into treatment, and the City of Gloucester has seen a nearly 1/3 reduction in property crimes most commonly associated with addiction, including break-ins, larcenies, and car breaks.

“Passing this bill will empower our police departments to continue and expand their innovative and lifesaving programs aimed at helping people into treatment,” Rep. Ferrante said. “We are seeing incredible results here in Gloucester, which began this discussion with the ANGEL Initiative. Since June of last year, the Gloucester Police have directly helped hundreds of people into treatment and we have also seen a dramatic reduction in property crime, a significant cost savings, and expansion of this program into all corners of the Commonwealth and United States.”

WHO

Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante (Gloucester)

Rep. Alice Peisch (Wellesley), Original Good Samaritan Bill sponsor

Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello

Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan

Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle, President of the Central Mass. Chiefs of Police Association (Central Mass. Chiefs, and its nearly 70 member police chiefs, have endorsed the bill)

Essex County Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr.

John Rosenthal, Co-founder of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.)

Members of East Bridgewater HOPE for Recovery and the East Bridgewater Police Department